Turning Urban Waste into Sustainable Bio-Based Products: SOWISE+ Launches Flagship Circular Economy Project in Italy

A major new European initiative is set to transform how cities manage organic waste, with the launch of the SOWISE+ (Solid Organic Waste into Sustainable End-products) project in Italy. Bringing together leading experts in waste management, biotechnology and advanced materials, the five-year programme will demonstrate how urban biowaste can be converted into high-value, sustainable bio-based products through an innovative multipurpose biorefinery.

The project officially began with a two-day kick-off meeting in Treviso, Italy, hosted at the Palazzo San Leonardo Great Hall on the Università Ca' Foscari Venezia Campus. Representatives from across the SOWISE+ consortium gathered to establish the project's technical roadmap, align objectives and prepare for the construction of a flagship demonstration facility that could become a model for circular economy innovation across Europe.

As Europe faces growing pressure to reduce landfill, improve recycling rates and lower carbon emissions, urban organic waste is increasingly being recognised as a valuable resource rather than a disposal problem. SOWISE+ aims to unlock that potential by converting municipal biowaste and post-consumer absorbent hygiene products into advanced bio-based materials, helping create new sustainable value chains while reducing environmental impacts.

During the launch meeting, consortium partners presented the overall SOWISE+ concept, reviewed the project's scientific and industrial objectives and agreed on the initial implementation strategy. Technical discussions focused on the engineering, construction and operation of the flagship biorefinery, alongside the development of bio-based polymers and cellulose-derived materials. Participants also visited the Contarina waste management facility in Trevignano and the i-Foria plant in Spresiano, providing valuable insight into the industrial processes that will support the project's development.

The consortium reviewed each work package covering plant engineering, permitting, production of bio-based polymers, cellulose recovery, product validation, sustainability assessment, stakeholder engagement, communication, commercial exploitation and future replication across Europe. The meeting also featured presentations on project financing and an address from CBE JU Project Officer Paola Paiano.

At the heart of SOWISE+ is the ambition to demonstrate a commercially viable biorefinery capable of producing PHBV bio-based polymers from urban biowaste at industrial scale. The project will also integrate the recovery and reuse of cellulose from post-consumer absorbent hygiene products, creating innovative materials suitable for a wide range of sustainable applications.

Alongside technology development, the consortium will evaluate the environmental, economic and social performance of the new processes using Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment and Safe and Sustainable by Design methodologies. The project will also engage waste management companies, industry, policymakers, researchers and local communities to encourage adoption of circular economy solutions and maximise long-term impact.

A key objective is to prove that the SOWISE+ model can be replicated in cities throughout Europe, supporting the transition towards more sustainable resource management while creating new opportunities for the bioeconomy.

Marco Mattielo, Project Manager at Contarina and Coordinator of SOWISE+, said: "SOWISE+ brings together the expertise needed to turn urban waste into sustainable bio-based materials at industrially relevant scale. By integrating innovative technologies with real waste management systems, the project will support a new model of circular urban-industrial symbiosis for Europe."

Over the coming months, project partners will begin permitting, engineering and design work for the flagship plant while developing communication activities, stakeholder engagement programmes and sustainability assessments. Technical preparation for large-scale validation will also commence, alongside collaboration with other European initiatives to maximise knowledge sharing and accelerate the adoption of circular bioeconomy technologies.

By combining advanced biotechnology, sustainable materials science and integrated waste management, SOWISE+ represents an important step towards converting municipal waste into valuable renewable resources. The project demonstrates how innovative circular economy solutions can reduce waste, lower carbon emissions and create sustainable bio-based products that contribute to Europe's environmental and industrial ambitions.